Palm Beach County residents were asked:
Please tell us about an important moment in your life that would help someone understand what it’s like living in your neighborhood.
The stories and micro-narratives they submitted (as part of the We Are Here SenseMaker project) are listed below. Click ZOOM IN to learn more about the community member and how they interpreted their submission. NOTE: Some stories were partially transcribed by volunteers who shortened the narratives and referred to the storytellers in the third person (e.g., “her experience was” instead of “my experience was”).
Growing up as a kid brings you joy and happiness Remembering the past makes you smile. I was always a good child. Listen choose the good never the bad
“People may say hurtful things “ growing up a different color doesn’t mean you don’t have different blood
Many people may say. Things they don’t mean ! The community I growing up in was a community of violence if you have ever been told to stop doing things please stop when you are told always listen !
Well I don’t have much to share my neighborhood wasn’t all bad and good you can say people may have got shot may have got into fights I was always that girl that got into fights
Growing up i was always in trouble and a wise man came and he spoke to me. He said son everyone around you are not on the same journey as you and are not Capable of caring the power to change themselves like you do and I’ll never forget how fast i went home and told my “gang” i couldn’t go with the plans we had for That night.
I grew up in a very tough neighborhood. My parents had moved from Haiti to America at arrived here at the age of 7 I lived in Boynton for 46 years. Growing up I was called rude nasty things. “I was often told to go back to Haiti” or “go back to the boat that brought me here” and fought a lot over this.